Soda's Broken Heart
by bookfish
Summary: This explains what happens between Soda/Sandy when Ponyboy is gone. It also explains what happens with everything else that Ponyboy finds out about, like Two-Bit getting jumped. This is all in Soda's POV.
1. I'm Messed Up

**A/N: Hey!! This is my 5****th**** story on fanfiction and my 3****rd**** one for 'The Outsiders'. Just for the record, 'The Outsiders' is by and belongs to S.E. Hinton, NOT me! I wish I was her, but we all know I'm not. (Darn…) **

**If you've read 'Gang Wars' by me before, you know that I like to put songs for all my chapters in stories… okay, fine it's a new thing for me. Anyway, let's list out the song for this chapter!! **

**Song for this chapter: 'Ice' by LIGHTS **

Ponyboy was gone. That's right, gone; he ran away. Darry hit him. He's awful sorry he did, but he did. He was just mad… or worried.

"I don't know where he'll go…" Darry said to himself after Pony left. "Soda… Soda, you'd better go to bed, it's late," he told me.

"Or is it early?" I asked seriously, but trying to make things funny. He grinned at me. "You get go bed, too," I told him.

"Yeah, I will…" he started. "when you will," I grinned and ran upstairs to the empty bed. I turned to put my arm around Ponyboy, then remembered he wasn't there. I sighed and tried to sleep, but I couldn't sleep at all that night.

*****

Since neither Darry nor I could sleep that night, we watched T.V. and wrestled, etc. But, I wanted to go see Sandy, so I went to her house in the morning at 8:30. When I got there, she was getting into her car. I wondered why, so I asked her.

"Sandy, where are you going?"

"Oh, I'm just going shopping…" she replied nervously.

"But you said you've been too tired lately pretty much to do anything," I said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Then I'm going to the doctor's…" she started before her Mom interrupted her.

"To get an ultrasound!" her Mom said casually.

"What?" I asked Sandy, more confused than ever.

"Soda, I've been meaning to tell you... I'm pregnant," Sandy said. I nearly gasped. She was my girlfriend! I should at least know if she's pregnant or not!

"But…" I began, unable to say anything else.

"I know," she said. "Soda, I met this guy, and we sorta… clicked," she explained. "We met at this party a few months ago. It was at Buck Merrill's place,"

"So you were in the bedroom?" I asked her, hoping she wouldn't answer.

"Yeah," she said as she got into her car and drove off. I was broken hearted. How could she do this to me? I thought that Dally might know something about it; he occasionally goes to Buck's parties. I figured he would be at Bucks right then, too, since there was a party there the other night. I got into my car and started driving.

*****

I got to Buck's in five minutes since I was speeding like crazy. I ran up Buck's steps so fast that I nearly tripped. I knocked on his door loudly and he answered.

"Whadyawant?" he asked half awake, his words tumbling onto each other.

"Dallas, I want to see Dally," I said quickly while I was panting in panic. I was still a little shaken up from the night before.

"He's busy," Buck said, a little more in control of his words, but still drowsily.

"He'll come if you tell him it's me, Soda!" I said between clenched teeth. _All that Hank Williams must mess up his mind or something,_ I thought to myself. He left and I just stood there like an idiot.

"Come on, I'm taking you to him!" Buck said impatiently. I sure felt stupid as I walked up his staircase to the bedroom where Dally was sleeping. "Dally! Soda's here to see you!" Buck nearly shouted to him as he started walking out the door. As Dally was waking up, I absentmindedly looked at a soaked sweatshirt lying on the floor. It looked so familiar…

"Whadyawant, Soda?" Dally asked me as he rubbed his eyes. I was suddenly snapped back into the real world.

"Do you remember anyone being in the bedroom with Sandy a few months ago at one of the parties?" I asked him.

"No, this is the first of Buck's parties I've been to for at least five months," he told me. "Hank Williams, how lame!" he added. I didn't respond because I could only stare at the floor. Then I recognised it. It was the sweatshirt Ponyboy was wearing the other night.

"Dallas, why is Ponyboy's sweatshirt here, and why is it wet?" I asked him out of thin air while pointing to the sweatshirt.

"Oh, that…" he said as he chuckled and shook his head. "I don't really know,"

"Dallas, I know it's _tradition_ for you to lie, but don't ever, _EVER_ lie to me about my brother!" I told him angrily.

"Fine, I know what's up with it, but I'm not tellin'! You'll find out about it in the paper…" he started, then trailed off.

"What do ya mean I'll find out about it in the paper?" I asked him, nearly yelling.

"IT'S ABOUT THE DEAD KID!" he exploded.

"WHAT DEAD KID?" I yelled back. If I wasn't so tired, I wouldn't have responded that way. I know better.

"Look, keep it quiet about this, okay?" Dally said, suddenly whispering. "Johnny killed a Soc," he told me as I leaned in. I nearly gasped. Lil' ol' Johnny killed a Soc? My eyes got wide as I heard this.

"Ponyboy was with him?" I guessed. It wasn't exactly Rocket Science, you know.

"Yeah," he replied. "The story'll be out soon, so you can read all about it in the paper," he added. I gulped.

"I'll tell Darry. So the cops already know about it?" I asked him.

"Yeah, they came over here and took me down to the station this morning. I kept my mouth shut good, though," he answered. "You'd better go and tell Darry before he freaks out or somethin'. At least he won't beat the tar outta _you_ if you tell him," I nodded and ran out the door. I nearly stumbled on the steps again. It was probably because I was tired.

*****

"WHAT?" Darry nearly shouted into the phone so loudly it made my ear hurt.

"Keep it down," I whispered, trying to get him to be quiet, otherwise I would go deaf.

"Okay, I will," he gave in. "We'll discuss this later, at lunch,"

"Sure. Meet me here, okay?" I told him.

"Where is 'here' exactly?" Darry asked.

"The DX, of course!" I told him impatiently and playfully at the same time.

"Right!" Darry said in an 'I forgot' voice.

"Yeah, yeah. Well, I gotta get back to work," I told him.

"Okay, see ya later," Darry said as he hung up. I hung up and then walked outside, where Steve was being crowded, not by girls like I usually am, but by reporters and policemen.

"Steve, what's going on?" I called out to him. Then the reporters and the fuzz came over to me and piled me with questions.

"Do you know what happened last night?"

"Were you there?"

"If you were, what was it like?"

"Who else was there if there was anyone else?"

I got tired of this. I didn't do anything, though. I was just too confused to do a thing. I got a little dizzy.

"Guys, leave him alone!" Steve suddenly shouted from outside the crowd.

"Look, let's talk about this at my house after work, at six o'clock, alright?" I said as I finally got the courage to talk… and breathe.

"Soda, do you think I can't take them?" Steve asked angrily, nostril slightly flaring.

"Steve, just… uh…" I stammered, my mind fogging up. "Look, can y'all just leave us alone now?" I asked the reporters and policemen. They all left, Steve threatening them.

"What was that all about?" Steve asked, turning to me.

"Steve, I'm just not in the mood for a fight right now," I explained to him.

"Shoot, I never thought I'd see the day when you'd say something like that!" Steve said, turning back to his work. A few minutes later, my life came back; I was surrounded by girls.

*****

"Soda, let's go for lunch!" Darry called from the door.

"I'm coming!" I called to him from crouching behind the counter. He looked from above and as I looked up and saw his face inches from mine, I jumped a little. "Darry, nice way to scare me!" I said in a slightly panicked voice as I got up.

"Sorry, little man!" he said as he got out of my way. "Ready to go?"

"Yup!" I said as I followed him to the car.

He drove me, which bothered me a little bit. He doesn't go fast enough for my liking. So anyway, we talked a bit on the way to The Dingo about Ponyboy.

"Are you sure?" he asked for about the millionth time.

"Yes, I'm sure!" I told him for the millionth time.

"I just can't believe that Johnny could kill a Soc!" he said, again for the millionth time.

As we parked at The Dingo, we saw a copy of the paper. Its headline was _**'JUVINILLE DELINQUENT KILLS LOCAL BOY'**_

"My word…" Darry said under his breath. All I could do was stare. There was a picture of the dead kid and Johnny's and Ponyboy's descriptions were in the paper. My eyes got wider and wider as I stared at that paper.

"What are we gonna do?" I asked Darry out of nowhere. I was all messed up.

"I don't know. I don't even know where my little brother is," Darry said in response. Suddenly, he exploded right then and there. "I'm not a good guardian! I don't deserve to live with my brothers! How is this happening?" then, he bawled. I'll bet he was just as much shaken up as I was.

"Darry, don't you talk like that, you're scarin' me," I told him as I hugged him. Well, hugged his back anyway. He had placed his face in his hands.

"I'm sorry," he told me, chocking on his tears. "I'm messed up is all,"

"Let's just to inside then, alright?" I asked Darry, partially chocking on my own tears.

"Alright," Darry said as he opened the door. I followed him as he walked in. We had our usual; Darry had a Coke with a Hamburger and I had a Sprite with a Cheeseburger. We sat down and talked some more. I saw something outside after a while. It was a Blue Mustang, and the Socs in it were jumping people!

"Uh… Darry?" I said.

"Yeah?" he asked. His back was turned to the window.

"You might want to look behind you," I said, my voice shaking ever so slightly. He looked and muttered under his breath.

"Great!" he said, sarcasm in his voice. "Just great!"

"I'll bet that dead Soc had plenty of friends," I commented.

"Yeah, I'll bet," Darry muttered. We went back to eating in silence. I was white as a ghost, I was pretty sure. After we were done eating, I just sat there. "Come on, Soda, let's go," Darry said, but I just sat. Darry finally got me to stand up but I couldn't move. I was scared stiff… literally. Darry put his arm around me and helped me walk out. We drove and didn't talk. All I could do was shake like a leaf. "Y'all be careful now," Darry told me as I walked out of the car when we got to the DX.

"Yeah… you, too," I called back to him when he drove off. I was not in the mood to go to work at that moment, but unfortunately, I had to. That was one of the rare times in life that I was in a bad mood.

**A/N: So I hope you liked this first chapter!! Please remember to R&R and put on faves lists if you liked! :D :D **


	2. Scared And Bleeding, Very Literally

**A/N: Sorry it took FOREVER to update!! I was getting stuck, but then I had a GREAT idea, so I got writing! **

**Songs for this chapter: can't think of anything… sorry!  
Wait a sec! I just thought of something! (I'm about to post my third chapter so that's why I'm fixing this right now. I also just found something!)  
"Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence**

It was the usual day… you know, except for the fact that my brother ran away the night before and everything. It was really busy at the DX that day since I couldn't concentrate on my work. All I could think about was _Is Ponyboy safe?_ and _Where is he?_ With all these questions buzzing around in my mind, I couldn't do my work properly. I nearly killed an engine when I was trying to fix it. I got oil all over my hands and a little on my face, too, and I was just feeling… crappy. I was so glad when Darry came to pick me up. He had the car, so I had to be picked up, unfortunately.

"Soda, come on!" Darry called impatiently when I was cleaning off the oil on my hands.

"I'm coming! I don't want to look crappy when those reporters come!" I called out to him, forgetting that he didn't know about the reporters.

"What reporters?" he questioned from the car.

"I'll tell you later!" I replied as I was walking to him.

"You'd better!" he told me as I walked in. Then, he started driving. It was 5:30 by the time we got home. I plopped onto the couch until Darry started asking me questions. "What about these reporters you told me about? Why are they coming? How do you know they're coming?"

"Darry, whoa!" I said, trying to get him to stop. "Slow down! I met these stupid reporters and policemen and they're coming over here to pile us with some questions," I explained. I got ready for the shouting.

"What?" he asked softly.

"You heard me, I met…"

"I know, I heard you. I just don't know why you would do this to me without telling me first…" he said, disappointment in his voice and on his face.

"I didn't know what to do, Darry, they were crowding all over me…" I said, upset that he was disappointed in me. I felt so upset and stupid when I dropped out of school and Mom and Dad were so disappointed. I started to cry a little from the memory of Mom and Dad…

"Soda, stop cryin', alright? I get it now, you didn't know what to do," Darry explained in a smooth, calming voice.

"Yeah, okay," I said, choking on my tears again. Darry started to make dinner, which was noodles and, of course, meat. He made less that night, though, since Ponyboy wasn't there. _Ponyboy…_ I thought to myself as I looked at the smaller-than-usual dinner. As we were eating, there was a loud knock on the door. I glanced at the clock, which said 6:00. "It's the reporters," I explained to Darry.

"Okay, stay right here," he said as he got up. I stayed seated as I watched the door. He opened it and a crowd of reporters and policemen were there, burying him with too many questions that I couldn't make them out. He got tired of this. "GET OUTTA HERE!" he yelled to them. "MY BROTHER WAS SCARED WHEN HE INVITED YOU OVER, AND NOW I KNOW WHY!" his breathing was heavy and his muscles bulged. He stepped over to them and they jumped back like scared animals. They ran right outta there and Darry slammed the door. "Done," he said as he sat down. My mouth was dropped open and I felt like an idiot. "Close your mouth, Soda," he chuckled. I closed it and smiled and we continued to eat dinner.

We goofed around a bit after dinner, and even some of the guys came over. We wrestled and at 11:00 we sent all but Steve home because it was time to go and Steve's Dad had yelled at him again. As I was in bed, I turned to put my arm around Pony again but then remembered for the second night in a row that he wasn't there. I lied there in silence, staring at the ceiling. I didn't want to wake Steve.

*****

I spent all night doing nothing, and I only got a few minutes of sleep. Darry was yelling at me to come get breakfast, but I didn't want to move. Darry rushed into my bedroom to wake me up.

"Soda!" he'd managed to yell until he saw I was awake already. "Oh, you're awake," he said in a quieter voice. "Now you'd better get up before I skin you," he added with a grin. I couldn't see how he could smile saying something like that, but I shrugged and got up anyway. We had eggs for breakfast, and I added extra jelly. Steve stayed for breakfast, too, just 'cause he wanted to. He made some sucky eggs for himself, but he ate them anyway. I left for work at about 9:00. It was the usual day, except those stupid reporters came back.

"Incoming!" Steve whispered into my ear as some reporters came. _Oh great, _I thought._ Not again._ They had flashing cameras that pretty much blinded me. I started getting a little dizzy from all the confusion and cameras.

"Why didn't you talk to us yesterday?" one of them asked

"You promised!" another commented. I was too tired for this. I guess Steve was, too.

"SHUT UP!" Steve yelled. "HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE HOLLERED AT RIGHT NOW!" the reporters, being weak and scared, ran off.

"That's the fifth crowd today!" I told Steve as I sighed of relief that they were gone. I turned back to my work. There were a few other incidents that day with the reporters and the fuzz, but Steve scared them off. Other than that, it was just girls and cars, the usual. By 5:30 it was time for me to go home, so I got in the car and drove off. Steve started going to his place as I left. When I got home, Darry was there reading the paper from the day before. He has a paranoid look on his face. "Darry, what's wrong?"

"Nothin' really, I'm just reading the story about Ponyboy and Johnny again," he said, not turning his eyes from the paper. He'd been reading that story non stop. "Dinner's gonna be whatever you make tonight," he added.

"I'm making dinner tonight?" I asked, slightly panicked.

"For yourself, yeah!" Darry answered. I smacked my forehead. I should've known!

Anyway, so I made my dinner, which was cereal. It's the only thing I can't mess up on, just put cereal and milk together. After dinner, the guys came over and we did our usual. Wrestle, watch T.V., etc. The same old stuff that happened the night before. I wasn't all too excited about that stuff because I was still getting over Pony, and Steve made a little comment about that.

"Hey, Soda, why are you so down?" he asked as he was wrestling Darry. Darry was winning.

"What?" I asked. I wasn't really paying any attention.

"I asked why you're so down!" he asked again as he tried to avoid being trampled by Darry.

"Oh, I'm just still getting over Pony running away and all," I told him.

"That, okay," he replied in an 'I should've known' voice. I was pretty sure he would say something else, but he didn't have the chance to because Darry was getting the best of him. I stayed quiet after that. I was too upset to join in on the laughs with the guys. I wasn't having any fun for once in my life. I decided to go to bed early and fell asleep wondering more about Ponyboy and missing him.

*****

The next morning was the third or fourth day without Ponyboy… I wasn't quite sure; I had lost track of the days. I was at my breaking point. That morning I skipped breakfast. I wasn't hungry. When Darry wasn't looking, I dumped some of my breakfast into the garbage and kept doing that whenever he wasn't looking until I was 'done' my breakfast.

I drove to work and I could hardly concentrate on anything. At work all I did was stare at the Socs jumping greasers. It made me so angry. I didn't know what was going on inside me. By the time some Soc's came to the DX to bother me, let's just say that their job was real easy.

"Hey, grease!" one of the three said. He had a red madras shirt on. _Are you wearing red in case some grease bleeds on you? _I thought.

"What do ya want?" I asked, rather annoyed. I nearly spat on him and called the guy white trash. I kept my mouth shut, though.

"What we want is you to be cryin' like little baby white trash," another said, who was also wearing a madras shirt, this one green. _Together, they look like Christmas or the Mario Brothers!_ I thought. Don't blame me, blame their lame colour choices!

"That's the lamest insult that I've ever heard," I told him cooly. I had an expressionless look on my face, unlike him. He started getting real mad.

"Shut up!" the third said, who had a wine-coloured sweater on.

"Shut up what? The truth that you guys are bums and that you're lame or… wait, that's it," I said. I really should've kept my mouth shut, but I didn't know what was comin' off.

"Look, if you're looking for a fight, you've come to the right place," the one wearing green said through clenched teeth.

"Maybe I am," I threw back. I reached for my back pocket just to find out that I'd forgotten my blade; I was in such a hurry that morning. I gulped, knowing they would beat the tar out of me. I glanced around for something. I found a busted bottle on the ground. I leapt for it and got ready to cut those guys up. My hand was shaking as I held it out to them in warning.

"Ooh, what are ya gonna do? Cut up three of us with one bottle while us three cut you up?" the one wearing the wine-coloured sweater said, pretending to be scared. That really pissed me off. There was only one thing I could do.

"Steve, get out here! I've got a couple of customers lookin' for you!" I called out to Steve.

"Who is it?" he called back.

"You'll see! Now get out here!" I answered. Those dumb Socs, they didn't know what was goin' on! Steve came running and when he saw the Soc's that probably had blades or somethin' like that, he ran back to his tool box and got a wrench, a screw driver, and a socket wrench. Perfect! Now I had two weapons! Steve could take on two at a time and I would take on one. I wondered why he took a third weapon though…

"Soda!" he called out to me as he was running.

"What?" I questioned.

"Catch," he answered, tossing me a wrench at least a five feet away from me. I caught it, luckily, and got ready to fight with a bottle and a wrench. I pointed them both away from me and waited for Steve to start fighting. He got there after a few seconds. He started fighting the ones wearing green and a wine-coloured sweater. That left blood-shirt-boy to me. He stared at me and got his pocket knife and we started.

I started by busting that bottle on his back and he turned around and cut my bare arm. I started using the wrench and gave him some bruises and right before the fight was over, he cut a deep one on my torso that also ruined my shirt. I clenched the new scar with pain and crouched down.

"Steve," I croaked. He turned to me and saw me there on the ground, blood getting all over my white shirt and my hands.

"Alright, that's enough," he began to say.

"I don't think so," the one that had just cut me said as he walked over to Steve. Steve's face turned to stone, but I could see the fear in his eyes. Right before those Socs started beating him to death, the fuzz came. The Socs started running off at the sight of them.

As all of this was happening, I started feeling dizzy and weak. The pain in my torso grew. I got dizzier and weaker.

"Soda, what's wrong?" I heard Steve ask me in the same voice Darry used when I was explaining about the reporters. I couldn't answer. I saw the pavement meet my face, and that was it.

**A/N: Thx for reading this chapter! I'll try to update soon! ;D **

**Remember to R&R!! **


	3. Finally Comforted

**A/N: Hello and welcome to my last chapter for this story!! I know that it's the same day that I put up my last chapter, but I was just really excited about this chapter!! Just so you know, I know I messed up on some of this near the end and some of it is from the book, not the movie, just so you know. **

**Song for this chapter: "Lean On Me" by Michael Musso **

The next time I woke up, I saw a blinding white roof and I had a breathing tube in my nose. I was all shaken up; I didn't know what was goin' on. Everything was spinning and it was fuzzy and my hearing was muffled.

"Darry?" I asked. I didn't know if he was there, and I was scared to death.

"He'll be here in a minute," a soft voice said. It sounded like a girl, or a guy with a really girlish voice.

"Who are you?" I asked the girl, or girlish guy.

"I'm a nurse," the voice said before I heard footsteps walking out of the room. _Nurse? _I thought to myself. _Am I in a hospital or something? _I was still all mixed up by the time Darry came in.

"Hey, Pepsi-Cola, how are you?" he asked in a calm voice that was shaking ever so slightly.

"Hey, Darry," I managed to croak. "I'm okay. What happened?"

"You had severe blood loss," he explained. "You have a scar across your torso," he added.

"That sure explains a lot," I said, thinking about the pain on my body.

"That Soc sure cut you good, huh?" he commented. I nodded in response. "The guys are here," he added.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said as he pulled my blankets up. "I'll get them. Be right back," after a minute of lying there, Darry came back with Dally, Steve, and Two-Bit. I wish I'd seen Ponyboy and Johnny there, too. I nearly bawled at the thought.

"Hey, Soda," Two-Bit said. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I said, surprised he wasn't making a joke out of it.

"I'm gonna beat the tar outta that guy that did this to you!" Dally said through clenched teeth. _Yup, _I thought._ He's still normal._ Steve didn't seem to be talking in his usual hatred for the world, though.

"Hey, Dally," I said. "Hey, Steve," I added, trying to get him to talk. His silence was scaring me.

"Hey, Soda," he said as he jammed his hands in his pockets. Awkward silence.

"What's wrong, Steve?" I asked him.

"It's all my fault!" he suddenly bawled.

"How is it your fault?" I asked. I couldn't seem to see how it could be his fault.

"I didn't help you! I just fought," he bawled.

"Look, it's NOT your fault," I said. "It's the Soc's fault! All of them! Now stop blubbering, you're gonna make me cry," I said, chocking on tears.

"Yeah, alright," he said as he stopped crying. He impatiently wiped his tears away. I tried to sit up, but Darry stopped me.

"Whoa, take it easy," he said as he put his hand over me.

"Okay, fine," I said as I lied back down. Then, I held my arms out like a little kid and I got my eyes to ask Darry _Can we hug?_ He smiled.

"Sure, Soda," he answered my eyes as he leaned down to hug me. "You're still a kid at heart, you know?" he told me, breathing into my hair.

"I know," I answered him. We hung out for a while till a doctor came in.

"Hello… Sodapop," he said. I grinned at the sound of my name. "You can go home now,"

"Really?" I asked him, just to be sure.

"Yes," he said as a nurse came in to help me with my breathing tube.

"Thank you," I whispered to her as I got up to get out of my hospital gown. When I was ready, I walked out with the guys. Then, I smelled the cafeteria food and my stomach suddenly felt empty. That's when I realised that's how I felt the whole time I was awake, which lead to my wondering of how long I had been out for. I was gonna ask Darry at home when I couldn't take it anymore. "Hey, Darry," I said to get his attention.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"How long have I been out for?" I asked.

"I nearly forgot to tell you!" he said. "Let's see… you went out at about noon, and it's six now so… you've been out for about thirty hours,"

"So that means…" I said, hinting him that I didn't get it.

"One day and six hours," he said simply. I hate it when he uses math.

"That explains a lot," I said again, thinking about how tired, thirsty and hungry I was.

I rode home with Darry and the others went with Dallas. I nearly fell asleep in the car thinking about Ponyboy again. I was so absorbed in it that I didn't hear Darry asking me to get out. I suddenly saw a hand waving in front of my face. I nearly jumped outta my skin.

"Earth to Sodapop!" he said.

"What?" I asked as I was back in the real world.

"I told you to get out of the car!" Darry said playfully.

"Alright," I said as I got out sleepily.

"I'll get dinner ready. What do you wanna eat?" Darry asked as we were walking into the house.

"Uh… I don't know… maybe chicken?" I said.

"Sure," Darry said as he dug around for one to cook. We had dinner at about 7:00 that night. Darry told me about some stuff that happened, like Two-Bit getting jumped, that there was gonna be a rumble, that we had a spy about the rumble named Cherry, and that Sandy had moved away to Florida.

"Without saying good bye?" I asked him.

"Yeah," he said as if he didn't want me to hear. I stayed quiet. We went to bed early that night and I could hear Darry telling the guys that we weren't going to be joining them, but that they could hang out if they wanted to. I tried to get the sleep I desperately needed that night, but couldn't.

*****

Since I couldn't sleep that night but didn't want to get out of bed, I stayed in bed till about 8:00 the next morning. I had extra chocolate cake that morning for breakfast because I hadn't eaten much since the day before I was knocked out, even the chicken I had the other night; I didn't feel like eating then. In conclusion, I was hungry for chocolate. We talked as we ate.

"So…" Darry started.

"What is it?" I asked, sensing something from him.

"I don't think you should go to work today," he said.

"Darry, I can't skip a day of work!" I said, surprised.

"Sodapop, you're still just getting over being cut like that, and I just want you to be safe while you're still getting over it," Darry explained.

"Alright, fine," I gave in as I finished my second piece of cake.

Darry went to work that day, and I stayed home bored as could be. I called Two-Bit and Dally over, but Dally said that he needed to do something else that day, so only Two-Bit came. We goofed off all day. Even though I don't like going to work all the time, at least it's something to do. By about 5:00 Darry came home and it was time for Two-Bit to go home, so he left. We were having dinner when the phone rang.

"I'll get it," Darry said as he got up. I could hear his side of the conversation; "Hello? Speaking." Then after a few seconds of listening, "Are you sure it's him?" then, after more listening, "Alright. Thank you," then he hung up.

"Who was it?" I asked.

"The hospital. They have Dallas…" he started, making me think he'd stopped. "… and Johnny and Ponyboy," he said about a minute after he paused to fool me. I could feel a scream rushing up my throat, but I kept my mouth shut. Seeing the excitement in my eyes, Darry covered up his ears. "Go ahead," he said. Then, I screamed of happiness. We rushed to the car to greet Ponyboy home.

*****

"Come on!" I told Darry as I ran out the car.

"I'm coming!" he said as he started to walk out. I ran to the doors and waited behind a man talking to the nurse at the desk.

"He wants to know how his friends are," the man explained.

"I'm sorry, but we can only tell that information to family," the nurse told him.

"But Ponyboy Curtis…" the man started before I interrupted.

"Ponyboy Curtis?" I asked him.

"Yeah, that's his name. Why?" he asked.

"That's my brother!" I explained to him. "My brother Darry and I have been worried sick about him!"

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah! Will you please tell him his brothers are here to see him?" I asked him.

"Sure, be right back," he said. By then, Darry had walked in.

"What's goin' on?" he asked.

"That guy's with Ponyboy and he's gonna get him for us!" I explained.

"Really?" he asked, not convinced.

"Yeah!" I nearly screamed.

"Okay then!" Darry said. "Try to calm down then, okay?"

"Fine," I said as he went to cool down at the door. I followed him and he held the door open. Seconds later, Ponyboy came walking, his face black and his hair blonde. He looked up and saw us, his eyes sparkling. "Ponyboy," I said as he started running. I caught him in a bear hug and swung him around. "Your hair… your tuff, tuff hair," I said as I examined his new blonde head. When he let go of me, he turned and noticed Darry.

"Ponyboy," Darry started. Then I noticed that he was crying. He hardly ever cries, not even when Mom and Dad died. After a few seconds of staring, Ponyboy ran to him and hugged him. Darry started crying and saying that he thought we'd lost him like we did Mom and Dad. I joined in the group hug, knowing my brother was now safe.

**A/N: Ta-da! Thank you very much for reading this story. And btw, while I was writing this chapter I realised that I forgot to put in Sodapop's letter for Ponyboy, so let's just say that it happened on the first night, okay? You choose whatever you want to think. ;D Hope you read more of my stories! **


End file.
